2023 Quarterly StarBike Photo Challenge - Spring! Is Now Open For Entries!

is it a motorcycle?

64085 Views 594 Replies 77 Participants Last post by bevo1981, 9 h ago

bevo1981

Discussion Starter · Feb 13, 2014 (Edited)

8

just came upon an interesting question based on a vehicle spotted by member M'Lady. what constitutes a motorcycle?

wikipedia: a two or three wheeled motor vehicle.
webster's: a vehicle with two wheels that is powered by a motor and that can carry one or two people

they can't even agree on how many wheels! there's got to be a more defining method. so i'm gonna throw a series of pictures at you and you tell me which you think should be considered motorcycles. add more for consideration as you see fit. i've got some ideas to amend this definition but i want to see some debate first.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

See less See more

Reactions: 1

1 - 20 of 595 Posts

SThomas

· #2 · Feb 13, 2014

I'd go as far as saying #8 is a motorcycle. The rest I'd classify as a variety of cars, scooters, and trikes.

#1, the 3-wheeled Morgan, fantastic track car.

Segway is just its own thing, who wouldn't want one to mess around on. lol

Reactions: 2

krb

· #3 · Feb 14, 2014 (Edited)

Wiki and Websters are irrelevant. The definition that matters is what it says in the vehicle code of the state where it's registered. Here in VA there was recent legislation proposed to create "auto-cycle" as a legal definition to cover vehicles such as these:

http://www.tanommotorsusa.com/

Last year VA enacted a law that splits the endorsement on the drivers license. Before there was just an 'M' but they've divided it into M2 and M3 for bikes and trikes, respectively, and the riding tests are different.

It's important to know where a vehicle fits given the legal requirement for seat belts on some and helmets on others.

See less See more

Reactions: 2

krb

· #4 · Feb 14, 2014

And you can't have a thread about trike/cars without mentioning the Reliant Robin:

Reactions: 1

Annielikeslyrics

· #5 · Feb 14, 2014

I'd give 6,7,8 a pass

Old V Star Man

· #6 · Feb 14, 2014

#8 is the only one that I would consider to be a motorcycle.

sparkn

· #7 · Feb 14, 2014

The MP3 scooter comes the closest simply because scooters are motorcycles to me.

Cars, motorcycles, and ATVs can all be three wheeled so that's not a qualifier or disqualifier.

The Frankenvehicles should have their own custom class.

bevo1981

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 14, 2014

are trikes motorcycles?

SThomas

· #9 · Feb 14, 2014

bevo1981 said:
are trikes motorcycles?

Negative

Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App

Keith Post

· #10 · Feb 14, 2014

I agree with Old V Star Man about #8, and with Annie about passing on #6, and #7. Just my input.

Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App

BirchyBoy

· #11 · Feb 14, 2014

#6 is an ATV, not a motorcycle. Dang, I miss the good old days of riding those things until my kidneys hurt!

As for 'trikes', I consider them motorcycles if the rider is exposed to the weather. CanAm's, etc are motorcycles.

krb

· #12 · Feb 14, 2014

bevo1981 said:
are trikes motorcycles?

In Texas that depends on the design of the trike and the interpretation of the word "saddle".

["Motorcycle" means a motor vehicle, other than a
tractor, that is equipped with a rider's saddle and designed to have
when propelled not more than three wheels on the ground.]

Assuming that a "saddle" means throwing your leg over it, the only vehicle shown so far in this thread that Texas would consider a motorcycle would be #6. #7 might qualify if the engine is larger than a 250. None of the others have a 'saddle' except for #8 and it has too many tires touching the ground to be considered a motorcycle.

M'Lady

· #13 · Feb 14, 2014

I was under the impression that the Morgan qualifies because it uses a V-twin motorcycle engine..... although my first impression was "Cool car!!!!!!!"

Segways are most definitely NOT bikes because you are not sitting!

And #3 is probably not a bike because it almost certainly is being driven by the Beetle's engine...

I personally count a bike that has been triked out as a motorcycle but the Can-Am Spyder is not... guess I feel that a bike has to have only one wheel in the front. This is actually a really interesting debate.

Val

· #14 · Feb 14, 2014

What IS #8 anyway?

Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App

NordicMan

· #15 · Feb 14, 2014

Val said:
What IS #8 anyway?

Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App

#8 is a "Tomahawk" concept vehicle built by Chrysler. That's a V-10 Viper motor you see inside that thing!

Here's Ontario Canada's laws regarding these things

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/emerging/index.shtml#tricycles

"motor tricycles" are licensed separately from motorcycles here. Some vehicles like that #7 MP3 scooter however are considered motorcycles despite having 3 wheels, probably because the MP3 leans into turns. Same goes for that Tomahawk. It technically has FOUR wheels, but also leans into turns

SThomas

· #16 · Feb 14, 2014

I disagree with can-ams being a bike. I find them to be ridiculous.

Unless there's wheels in tandem, you sit in a saddle, and are exposed to the elements it's something else.

Also, scooters are scooters.

Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App

bevo1981

Discussion Starter · #17 · Feb 14, 2014

3

SThomas said:
I disagree with can-ams being a bike. I find them to be ridiculous.

i agree. but if i had the chance, i would definitely try them out because i akin them to a street-legal ATV.

it looks like a bunch of people have a bunch of differences on what qualifies a vehicle to be a motorcycle. this is from the Texas DPS:

"Motorcycle" means a motor vehicle,
other than a tractor, that is equipped
with a rider's saddle and designed to
have when propelled not more than
three wheels on the ground.
TTC
541.201(9)
Note: trikes are included in this
description

so then what are these? tractors or motorcycles?

See less See more

Reactions: 1

Sugar Bear

· #18 · Feb 15, 2014 (Edited)

bevo1981 said:
are trikes motorcycles?

Well bevo, to make a short answer long, Sugar Bear figgers, not no but, HELL NO! It takes 2 wheels to make a bike, 3 makes it a TRICYCLE,(maybe with plastic purple tassles?) why not just get a Volkswagon convertable and say you are a biker?

No problem with the 3 wheel group, they just ain't riding motorcycles, imo

Have fun folks, be careful

JKinSC

· #19 · Feb 15, 2014

bevo1981 said:
so then what are these? tractors or motorcycles?

Not sure if it's a tractor or a bike, but those tires would have damn sure got me out of my house when I was iced in over the last week.

bevo1981

Discussion Starter · #20 · Feb 15, 2014 (Edited)

3

?
any of these? the bottom one is electric

See less See more

1 - 20 of 595 Posts